Lisa De Simone and Bridget Stomberg (friends, professors, tax nerds) discuss tax topics in simple terms.

Episodes

August 20, 2023   24 minutes

In this episode, we discuss the mechanics of the IRA's Stock Buyback Tax, whether it is achieving its intended goal of curbing buybacks and how some lawmakers in the U.S. hope to expand its scope.

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August 6, 2023   35 minutes

In this episode, we welcome Evelyn Smith, researcher at the University of Michigan, to discuss her research on racial bias in the IRS’ audit selection models. 

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July 23, 2023   24 minutes

In this episode, we discuss the general fines and penalties individuals can face related to their taxes and discuss the details of Hunter Biden’s case in light of those rules. 

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July 9, 2023   23 minutes

In this episode, we discuss some ways artificial intelligence like ChatGPT could improve and worsen the US taxpayer experience.

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June 25, 2023   25 minutes

In this episode, we discuss different approaches to taxing pollution like carbon emissions, as well as recent research examining the impact of these policies.

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June 11, 2023   35 minutes

In this episode, we provide background on the impetus for a potential IRS-run direct e-file tax return system and hear from Ayushi Roy, Deputy Director at New America, on the independent third-party review of the IRS' feasibility report.

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May 28, 2023   30 minutes

In this episode, we mostly goof off and talk about our experiences making 50 episodes of Taxes for the Masses.

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May 14, 2023   26 minutes

In this episode, we break down the audit process in the U.S. and offer some perspective on which taxpayers are most likely to be audited and why.

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April 30, 2023   26 minutes

In this episode, we outline the history of the IRS’ tax-exempt approval process and recent calls for more scrutiny over organizations applying for tax-exempt status. 

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April 16, 2023   25 minutes

In this episode, we compare and contrast programs in the U.S. intended to make filing taxes cheaper and easier to those in other developed countries.

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April 2, 2023   28 minutes

In this episode, we do a deeper dive into what these consumption taxes are, how they can be administered, and who pays them.

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March 19, 2023   25 minutes

In this episode, we discuss how a national sales tax would work and the distributional effects the Fair Tax Act would have on American households.

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March 5, 2023   23 minutes

In this episode, we discuss some of the latest tax research from the 2023 mid-year meeting of the American Taxation Association. 

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February 19, 2023   25 minutes

In this episode, we outline the tax treatment of gambling income and losses in the U.S. as well as the taxation of online sportsbooks. 

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February 5, 2023   25 minutes

In this episode, we explain the mechanics and the history of the so-called “jock tax”. 

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January 22, 2023   23 minutes

In this episode, we discuss the conviction of the Trump Organization on 17 counts of tax fraud and other crimes in the New York Supreme Court. 

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January 8, 2023   25 minutes

In this episode, we discuss how former President Trump's tax returns were made public, what they reveal, and what could come next.

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December 25, 2022   23 minutes

In this episode, we explain the history use of 501(c)(4) organizations, how they can support a vast array of objectives, and the tax benefits they offer to those who contribute money to them.

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December 11, 2022   23 minutes

In this episode, we discuss the estate and gift tax consequences of the Chouinard family decision regarding their Patagonia fortune as well as alternative structures they could have considered.

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November 27, 2022   23 minutes

In this episode, we discuss the practice of individuals – often lawyers — shuffling from roles with the US Treasury and the IRS into jobs for high-powered accounting firms and businesses.

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November 13, 2022   23 minutes

This episode is on the employee retention tax credit with special guest Stefan Richter to discuss his research on the topic. 

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October 30, 2022   23 minutes

This episode is on how states tax corporations and how that affects their business decisions, with special guest Anthony Welsch to discuss his research on the topic. 

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October 16, 2022   46 minutes

In this very special episode, recorded LIVE at the University of Iowa's Tippie College of Business, we discuss tax policies and societal inequities.  

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October 2, 2022   23 minutes

In today’s episode, we outline the history of the WOTC, discus the limited evidence on its effectiveness, and highlight potential room for improvement in the policy. 

September 18, 2022   23 minutes

In today’s episode, we welcome Jane Bowman, a Minnesota Tax Court Judge, to discuss property taxes.  

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September 4, 2022   23 minutes

In this episode, we explain how taxes may have influenced the rising rent trend over the past decade, along with other factors at play.

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August 21, 2022   25 minutes

In this episode, we break down the tax policy changes embedded in the Inflation Reduction Act.

August 7, 2022   25 minutes

In this episode, we explain inflation at a high level and examine its relation to taxes.

July 24, 2022   27 minutes

In this episode, we discuss the history of deductibility of executive compensation and highlight academic evidence on the ability of tax policy to influence executive compensation.

July 10, 2022   23 minutes

In this episode, we discuss the laws requiring U.S. taxpayers to report foreign account information and research into the efficacy of those laws.

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June 26, 2022   23 minutes

In this episode, we discuss the provisions of the Securing a Strong Retirement Act, also dubbed SECURE 2.0, and how it could influence inequality in America.

June 12, 2022   23 minutes

In this episode, we discuss papers presented at the Third Norwegian Tax Accounting Symposium held in Bergen, Norway in May 2022.

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May 29, 2022   23 minutes

This episode breaks down the feud between Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Disney, then discusses the implications of using tax law to punish corporations for expressing political views. 

May 15, 2022   23 minutes

In this episode, we outline the history of the EITC, recent proposals to modify and expand the credit, and evidence on its effectiveness.  

May 1, 2022   23 minutes

In this episode, we discuss how firms that report profit to their shareholders under U.S. GAAP can pay little or no federal income tax. 

April 17, 2022   21 minutes

In this episode, we discuss the tax implications of the gig economy for workers, companies and the government.

April 3, 2022   23 minutes

In this episode, we discuss the tax implications of cryptocurrency. We're joined by special guest Dan Hannum, COO of ZenLedger, a cryptocurrency tax software.

March 20, 2022   20 minutes

In this episode, we discuss the tax ramifications to employees of working from home with an emphasis on what types of compensation are taxable and what types of expenses are deductible. 

March 6, 2022   23 minutes

In this episode, we discuss the tax ramifications to employees and potentially to their employers of working from home when the employee resides or works from a location that is outside of their employer’s state of operations. 

February 20, 2022   23 minutes

In this episode, we discuss some of the latest research presented at the American Taxation Association's annual meeting and journal conference.

February 6, 2022   23 minutes

In this episode, we discuss the history of the IRS' free filing program and the recent controversy surrounding it.

January 23, 2022 23 minutes

In this episode, we discuss the tax consequences to the employee and the employer of stock-based compensation with a focus on executive stock options.

January 9, 2022 23 minutes

In this episode, we discuss the federal marriage tax penalty and how it is one source of inequality in the United States.

December 26, 2021 23 minutes

In this episode, we discuss the federal deduction for state and local taxes: why it exists, why it was capped, and why current proposals aim to increase the cap.

December 12, 2021 23 minutes

In this episode, we discuss tax loss harvesting, a tax planning tool to reduce taxes on capital gains and boost investment returns, so long as one minds the wash sale rules.

November 28, 2021 23 minutes

In this episode, we discuss a recent proposal for an income tax on the unrealized gains of billionaires: why some people think it's needed, how it would work, how it might fail, and what it's future holds.

November 7, 2021 23 minutes

In this episode, we discuss global efforts to increase public disclosures about corporate tax avoidance in an effort to shame corporations into paying their "fair share."

October 24, 2021 23 minutes

In this episode, we discuss the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists' latest leak, and how the United States -- and South Dakota -- have become one of the world's biggest tax havens.

October 10, 2021 23 minutes

In this episode, we discuss Congress' recent expansion and acceleration of the Child Tax Credit, and why these changes have caused so much widespread confusion.

September 26, 2021 23 minutes

In this episode, we provide an update on the proposed global minimum tax and what it means for multinational corporations, as well as global tax policy.

September 12, 2021 23 minutes

In this episode, we discuss the good, bad and ugly aspects of Biden's proposed minimum tax on book income.

August 29, 2021 23 minutes

Ever wondered what the difference between a traditional and Roth IRA is?  Or what an IRA is?  Or how Peter Thiel used his Roth to make $5B of taxable capital gains disappear?  Tune in to this episode, where we'll cover all this and more!

August 15, 2021 23 minutes

In this episode, we unpack some of the more complicated international provisions of President Biden's Made in America Tax Plan impacting multinational corporations.

August 1, 2021 23 minutes

In this episode, we discuss the recent history of IRS funding and how President Biden plans to arm the IRS with the resources it needs to take on aggressive corporate tax avoidance.

July 18, 2021 23 minutes

In this episode, we discuss the recent IRS data leak, how the wealthy avoid taxes, and the merits and drawbacks of a proposed wealth tax.

July 4, 2021 23 minutes

In our very first episode, we discuss the good, bad, and ugly aspects of President Biden's proposal to increase the corporate tax rate to 28% as part of his Made in America Tax Plan.

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